Key operated switching apparatus

ABSTRACT

A key operated switching apparatus. The apparatus includes a hollow shaft for receiving one of a plurality of keys therewithin. A slotted cover plate is placed over one end of the hollow shaft for locating the key hole. Positioned between the cover plate and the one end of the shaft is a slotted guide plate for determining the initial position of the key as it is placed through the slot in the cover plate, then the guide plate, and into the hollow shaft. The hollow portion of the shaft contains a plurality of switch means positioned therewithin, each of said keys are so coded so as to rotate within said shaft in such a manner that one key could only close one of said switch means.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,814,873 Roberts June 4, 1974 K OPERATED SWITCHING APPARATUS Primary ExuminerHcrman Hohauser [76] Inventor: Robert L Roberts, 30 East 86th Attorney, Age/1!, ur Firm-Kirschstcin, Kirschstcin, Ot-

sr, New York, NY. 10028 hhger & Frank [22] Filed: July 25, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 274839 A key operated switching apparatus. The apparatus includes a hollow shaft for receiving one of a plurality of keys therewithin. A slotted cover plate is placed [52] us. Cl. 200/44 Over one end Of t hollow Shaft for locating the y 51 Int. Cl. H02j 3/38 hole- Positioned between the cover Plate and the one [58 Field of Search 200/42, 44; 70/203, 337 end Of the shaft is a Slotted guide Plate for determining the initial position of the key as it is placed through the slot in the cover plate, then the guide plate, and

[56] References Cited into the hollow shaft. The hollow portion of the shaft contains a plurality of switch means positioned there- UNITED STATES PATENTS within, each of said keys are so coded so as to rotate 3,348,220 t0/l967 Luna et al 200/44 X within Said h ft in Such a manner that one key could only close one of said switch means.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 1 KEY OPERATED SWITCHING APPARATUS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This invention is related to my copending US. application Ser. No. 274,845, filed July 25, I972, for A SYSTEM FOR VIEWING A PLURALITY OF TELE- VISION PROGRAMS.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to switches which switches are SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1. Purposes of the Invention It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for a key operated switching apparatus which allows different electrical or mechanical mechanisms to be activated or switched by separate and distinct keys which fit within the slot of the key hole.

It is another object of this invention to provide for a key operated switching apparatus wherein one coded key is designed to activate only one of a plurality of switching mechanisms and another coded key is designed to operate a different switching mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a key operated switching apparatus which can so function that one key can activate for instance the lights of an office building, while another key can operate air conditioners and another key can even activate power for elevators.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide for a key operated switching apparatus which is so adaptable that only one set of keys will operate the apparatus and within this set of keys each key will fit within the same apparatus and activate a different function.

2. Brief Description of the Invention According to a broad aspect of the invention there is provided a key operated switching apparatus. The apparatus includes a hollow shaft for receiving one of a plurality of keys therewithin. A slotted cover plate is placed over one end of the hollow shaft for locating the key hole. Positioned between the cover plate and the one end of the shaft is a slotted guide plate for determining the initial position of the key as it is placed through the slot in the cover plate. then the guide plate. and into the hollow shaft. The hollow portion of the shaft contains a plurality of switch means positioned therewithin, each of said keys are so coded so as to rotate within said shaft in such a manner that one key could only close one of said switch means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown various possible embodiments of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the key operated switching apparatus according to the invention showing the hollow shaft, guide plate and cover plate;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the cover plate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the guide plate shown in FIG. 1;

7 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the hollow shaft shown in FIG. 1 taken between lines 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a first key which is so coded as to activate a first switching mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a second key which is so coded as to activate a second switching mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a third key which is so coded as to activate a third switching mechanism; and

FIG. 8 is a simple schematic of the switching mechanism'activated by the key operated switching appara- IUS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

A cross-section of a key operated switching apparatus 10 is shown in FIG. I.

In this apparatus coded keys shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 are placed therewithin so that the appropriate key will effectively rotate a sufficient distance to activate a separate and distinct switch. The keys are further coded in such a manner that only the keys shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, which have another specific code thereon, will turn at all.

The system could be used as part of a mode and se- I lect switch of a pay cable T.V. system as described in my copending application A System for Viewing a Plurality of T.V. Programs," US. Application Ser. No. 274,845 filed July 25, 1972. A set of keys which could activate any of the microswitches which would select a cable T.V. program could only be used to activate one cable T.V. converter which converter is placed in one room, and this set of keys could not be used to activate any cable T.V. converter which would be placed in an adjacent room.

A more detailed description of the apparatus and its function will now be made. A key operated switching system 10 contains a hollow cylindrical shaft 12 which may be made of suitable plastic or metal material. One end 14 of the shaft has a flanged portion which abuts and may be fastened to a support 16. A cover plate 18 may be attached to an outer peripheral portion of flanged end 14, and support 16. As shown in FIG. 2

cover plate 18 can have a centrally located hole 20 therein and a key slot 22 extending from top and bottom portions of hole 20. Comfortably and snugly positioned between the rear of the cover plate and flanged end 14 of hollow shaft 12, there is placed a guide plate 24. Guide plate 24 has an elongated slot 26 the rein for actually guiding a key therethrough and also establishing the initial starting position of the key within the apparatus before any rotation of a key takes place.

the interior of shaft 10 has an abutment 28 protruding into the hollow portion of the shaft at a position to the left of the vertical axis of the shaft and extending from the bottom portion thereof as shown in FIG. 4. Thus only keys such as keys 30, 32 and 34 shown in respective FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, which have respective slotted portions 36, 38 and 40 so positioned and extending from the bottom edge thereof that when they are placed within the slotted key apparatus, slotted portions 36, 38 and 40 clear abutment 28 so as to allow 3' these keys to rotate within shaft 12. Thus, by simply moving the location of slotted portions 36, 38 and 40, the key system apparatus can be so coded as to require separate sets of keys to be used for each particular apparatus, which apparatus are to be placed at a different location. It, of course, should also be noted that keys 30, 32 and 34 have respective indented edge portions 42, 44 and 46, which when aligned with the hole in the cover plate allow the keys to rotate while the cover plate is effectively stationary. The function of slot 22, in cover plate 18 is to allow the wider portion of the key to be fully inserted into the key switching apparatus wherein the key cannot turn until the front edge 48, S and 52 of respective handles 54, 56 and 58 of respective keys 30, 32 and 34 abut the front of the cover plate, whereupon respective indented portions 42, 44 and 46 of keys 30, 32 and 34 do not protrude within slot 22 of cover plate 18, thereby allowing free movement of the keys while the cover plate still remains stationary.

A first switching means is positioned within the hollow interior of shaft 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The first switching means is comprised of a first microswitch 60 and an adjacent abutment 62 positioned in such a manner that when key 30 is placed within the hollow shaft and slot 36 of the key clears abutment 28, key 30 rotates until it depresses and activates switch 60 while at the same time abuts abutment 62 so as to prevent further movement of key 30. As long as key 30 is in this position microswitch 60, which is schematically shown in FIG. 8, closes and is activated.

A second switching means is also positioned within the hollow interior of shaft 12 and contains a second microswitch 64 and an adjacent abutment 66, wherein their location is such that as key 32 is properly placed within the hollow shaft such that slot 38 aligns with abutment 28, thus allowing key 32 to rotate. A slot 68 is formed on the opposite side of key 32 from that of slot 38 and is aligned with and clears microswitch 64 and abutment 26 thereby allowing the key to continue to rotate until it depresses and activates micro switch 64. Key 32 is prevented from moving any further when it abuts abutment 66 so as to effectively close microswitch 64 which is schematically shown in FIG. 8.

A third switching means is also positioned within the hollow interior of shaft 12 and contains a third microswitch 70 and an adjacent abutment 72. When key 34 is properly positioned within the hollow shaft its slotted portion 40 clears abutment 28 so that the key can begin to rotate in a clockwise direction. A slotted portion 84 on the opposite side of key 34 is aligned with and clears microswitch 60 and its accompanying abutment 62. Key 34 then also has an additional slotted portion 76 which is aligned with and allows the key to rotate past microswitch 64 in said adjoining abutment 66 until the edge of the key hits microswitch 70 and its adjacent abutment 72 so that switch 70 is activated. The electrical equivalent circuit of switch 70 is shown in FIG. 8.

Thus, as shown above, it is demonstrated how three separate keys (the number of which can vary) are used to activate three separate functions within one key operated switching apparatus. It also is additionally demonstrated how the placement of an abutment, such as abutment 28 within the shaft can be used to form an additional code which requires a different set of keys for each switching apparatus. In other words, if such a switching apparatus were placed within a cable TV. converter in a hotel room it could so be arranged that the converter in each hotel room would have a different set of keys to perform its operations. Additionally, this key operated switching apparatus, besides performing the switching function as described above can also provide a mode function too. The mode function can be explained with reference to my copending US. Pat. application A System for Viewing a Plurality of TV. Programs," supra, wherein the key operated switching apparatus is part of the cable T.V. converter and serves the function of being a mode switch wherein there are two modes of operation. In the first mode of operation, the converter is basically bypassed and in the second mode of operation the converter is basically activated so as to receive cable T.V. programs, and in this second mode of operation the key operated switch serves as a program selector depending upon which key is actually used. In this first mode of operation the bypass of the converter is simply provided by a microswitch 78 which is mounted, in this example as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the slot of guide plate 24. Normally, when a key is not inserted through the guide plate, microswitch 78, which is electrically shown in FIG. 8, has its electrical contact arm 80 in contact with a contact terminal 82 so as to provide the bypass mode. As soon as a key is placed through slot 26 in guide plate 24, microswitch 78 is activated and its contact arm 80 then moves to electrically contact a contact terminal 84 so as to place the converter in the second mode of operation whereupon the converter is now ready to make cable TV. program selections.

it should also be noted that handles 54, 56 and 58 of respective keys 30, 32 and 34 can have respective holes 86, 88 and 90 therethrough so as to allow the keys to be conveniently held on an eye hook or the like.

It thus is seen that there is provided a key operated switching apparatus which achieves the several objects of the invention and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is-to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now described the invention, there is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by letters Patent:

1. A key operated switching apparatus comprising:

a hollow shaft, a plurality of switch means located on the inner perimeter of said hollow shaft and positioned along the length of said inner perimeter to allow each of a plurality of keys to close only one of said switch means when each of said keys is separately inserted in the hollow shaft and rotated and,

a guide plate disposed one end of said hollow shaft for maintaining each of the plurality of keys in position for actuation of said switch means.

2. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 1 where each of said keys contains separate and distinct coded portions.

3. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each of the switch means is comprised of a microswitch and an abutment adjacent said microswitch, said adjacent abutment prevents the proper key from turning any further.

4. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the coded portion of each key is formed by at least one slot extending from one side thereof so as to permit all of said keys to turn and one of said keys to trip at least said first microswitch.

5. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the coded portion of an additional key includes at least one slot extending from the side opposite said one side for bypassing a first of said microswitches and triggering a second of said microswitches.

claim 1 further comprising a slotted cover plate extending over one end of said hollow shaft for locating the key hole.

8. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said guide plate is provided with a slot for aligning with the slot in said cover plate and determining the initial position for placing keys within the hollow shaft.

9. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said guide plate further includes a mode microswitch mounted within the slot in said guide plate so that said mode microswitch closes when any of the keys are placed through the slots in said guide plate and cover plate, and into the hollow shaft.

10. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said hollow shaft further includes a main abutment therewithin which must be cleared by the slot in said one side of any of said keys in order for the key to rotate to engage any of the plurality of said switching means. 

1. A key operated switching apparatus comprising: a hollow shaft, a plurality of switch means located on the inner perimeter of said hollow shaft and positioned along the length of said inner perimeter to allow each of a plurality of keys to close only one of said switch means when each of said keys is separately inserted in the hollow shaft and rotated and, a guide plate disposed one end of said hollow shaft for maintaining each of the plurality of keys in position for actuation of said switch means.
 2. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 1 where each of said keys contains separate and distinct coded portions.
 3. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each of the switch means is comprised of a microswitch and an abutment adjacent said microswitch, said adjacent abutment prevents the proper key from turning any further.
 4. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the coded portion of each key is formed by at least one slot extending from one side thereof so as to permit all of said keys to turn and one of said keys to trip at least said first microswitch.
 5. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the coded portion of an additional key includes at least one slot extending from the side opposite said one side for bypassing a first of said microswitches and triggering a second of said microswitches.
 6. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the coded portion of a further additional key has a first and a second slot extending from the side opposite said one side for bypassing the first and second of said microswitches and triggering a third of said microswitch.
 7. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a slotted cover plate extending over one end of said hollow shaft for locating the key hole.
 8. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said guide plate is provided with a slot for aligning with the slot in said cover plate and determining the initial position for placing keys within the hollow shaft.
 9. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said guide plate further includes a mode microswitch mounted within the slot in said guide plate so that said mode microswitch closes when any of the keys are placed through the slots in said guide plate and cover plate, and into the hollow shaft.
 10. A key operated switching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said hollow shaft further includes a main abutment therewithin which must be cleared by the slot in said one side of any of said keys in order for the key to rotate to engage any of the plurality of said switching means. 